Birds of a Feather
by honestgrins
Summary: His plans didn't include a soulmate, but he can't bring himself to kill the girl, either. Worse, he's not sure the little bird on her wrist is all that keeps him interested. This reimagining of TVD's Season 3 is a KC Valentines Exchange gift for venomandchampagne (sushibunny), who is incredibly fabulous and loves soulmate situations and spells gone awry.


When the little bird tattoo burned its way onto his chest, he knew it couldn't mean anything good for him. The Original Hybrid being subject to any unknown magic was a threat in any sense. Casting spells could lead to nasty business that required him to tear out hearts.

Before Gloria's untimely death, she warned him that it was likely the result of a fabled soulmate spell witches used to strengthen their bloodlines. Why that would affect Klaus Mikaelson was beyond her, but her reading of the situation encouraged caution. The soulmate mark was meant to allow the spell's targets to recognize each other, though it supposedly gave no further connection. The few times Gloria knew the spell had worked, though, soulmates went to great lengths to protect the other - even if it meant giving up their own lives.

Klaus Mikaelson wanted no part in that. He would not be weak, let alone let that weakness leave a visible mark upon him. Instead, he hid the little bird in a larger tattoo that spread from his shoulder. A flock of birds from a feather was a bit trite for his liking, but it was the neatest way to disguise the mark.

Needing to return to Mystic Falls with Stefan in tow, Klaus refused any further distractions from his goal. He wanted his hybrids, and finding the doppelgänger was of utmost importance. Having succeeded in turning Tyler, then killing Mikael, settling in Mystic Falls and reuniting his family seemed logical. Of course, that meant bending the town to his will.

He was able to kill two birds with one stone by using his sire bond against Tyler, ordering him to bite his little girlfriend and forcing her mother into his debt by saving the poor girl. It was a perfect plan.

But she had the little bird, right there on her wrist.

She looked miserable, tucked deeply into her covers. He noticed her charm bracelet, as well as her slight flinch when he dared to touch it. The comforter fell a bit with her motion, though, revealing her other hand. A bird, drawn in delicate blue lines just peeked from under the fabric.

His stomach felt like lead as it dropped within him. She didn't seem to regard him any differently, which almost seemed like an affront to his status. He was, after all, her soulmate. Thinking of his own mark, however, Klaus realized this was an opportunity.

He had never wanted a soulmate, actively eschewed the weakness that came with love. No one would ever know, and the girl had already admitted she was dying.

"And I could let you die, if that's what you want."

He could hear the small intake of breath rattle her throat, really considering the options before her. Ignoring the rising panic within him, foreign as it was, Klaus continued. "If you really believe your existence has no meaning," he whispered, leaning closer.

Tears rose unbidden to his eyes. Horrified, he tried to reason with himself. Of course, he couldn't let her die; he needed her mother in his pocket. He was just acting, trying to make this girl realize the value of her life so he could save her according to his dastardly plan. That was all.

"I've thought about it myself," he said, really laying it on thick, "once or twice over the centuries, truth be told."

She didn't look scared, just confused. Caroline, he remembered. That was her name. It shouldn't have struck some chord deep within him, but it mattered. He couldn't shake her, and he found himself wanting her to live - not that she would ever know why.

"I'll let you in on a little secret," he whispered, cutting deep dimples with his evil hybrid smirk. "There's a whole world out there, waiting for you. Great cities and art, and music."

Looking back down at the bracelet, likely a gift from his errant hybrid, Klaus couldn't help a possessive superiority. "Genuine beauty," he said challengingly. "And you can have all of it, you can have a thousand more birthdays. All you have to do is ask."

He couldn't look away from her, her thoughts and emotions so clear as they flitted through her wide eyes. If he were honest with himself, he could admit that he detested the fear in her expression, hated that he put it there. Worse, he found himself thrilled that she could be so open to him, despite him being the enemy.

Blinking, her face contorted into something of misery. Klaus tensed, worried what she would choose. What if she died before he could discover why the spirits chose her as his mate? What if he regretted not healing her? What if he lost something precious because he didn't want to be weak?

"I don't want to die," she croaked, tears filling her eyes.

Relief washed over Klaus, though he quickly covered it with triumph. With a wicked grin, he carefully pulled Caroline against his chest, holding his wrist inches from her mouth. "There you go, love," he said, unconsciously twining his fingers in her hair. "Have at it."

He could barely see the veins darkening on her cheeks, but his eyes were drawn to the little bird more visible on her exposed wrist. Before he could lose himself in the implications of the mark, her fangs bit deep into his skin. Belonging rushed through him, and he found himself biting back a genuine smile at the feeling.

"Happy birthday, Caroline," he muttered, content just to hold her as she drank. Knowing she was healing, he came to a decision.

Settling in Mystic Falls was already in his plans. Getting to know Caroline would be a natural extension of settled life. A soulmate wouldn't completely ruin his plans. Even if it goes horribly, he could always kill her.

Klaus tried to keep that in mind as he snuck into her room later that night. He left a bracelet far more worthy of her wrist than the tin his hybrid had gifted her, swallowing down the thrill he could imagine at seeing the diamonds shine next to the little bird - the one Caroline had no idea also resided over his heart.

* * *

"What did you want to show me?"

He reined in the shock he felt that she had followed him all the way to his studio. The ball was his first chance since healing her for a real conversation with his mate, though he still knew little of what that relationship meant. But when his mother mentioned bringing a date, Caroline's was the only face in his mind.

Not that the night had gone particularly well so far. His pathetic attempts at small talk were soundly met by the walls Caroline seemed to have erected against him. He nearly stumbled when she asked why he chose her; apparently, she had not realized their connection. Instead, she put off every advance he made in trying to share with her.

Which made her agreement to visit his studio all the more surprising. Klaus fought the hope she felt the same urge to be around him that he felt with her.

"One of my passions," he answered, bringing her toward his work table. Against his better judgment, perhaps showing his softer side would make the soulmate revelation easier to bear - not that he planned to tell her until it suited his best interests.

She huffed in surprise, clutching her fingers together. "Impressive," she said. "I take it the curators from the Louvre aren't on vervain?"

He couldn't help a chuckle, her biting attitude somehow endearing to him. "That's their mistake," he flirted with a cheeky grin.

Caroline wasn't looking at him, though. She fiddled with the bracelet dangling around her wrist, the one she chose to wear rather than that pup's little charm bracelet. Klaus missed the sight of his little bird on her wrist, but the diamonds flashed nicely against her gloves. Any pride he felt at her wearing his jewels, however, was quashed by her next assumption.

"And what about these," she asked, shaking her wrist. "Where'd you steal this from?"

"That's a long story," he answered, enjoying the look of intrigue on her face. "But rest assured, it was worn by a princess almost as beautiful as you."

She rolled her eyes, which disheartened Klaus. He feared she saw him as insincere, which was probably for the best. Embarrassment flooded him, and a panicked chuckle broke free from him as she scanned the sketches on the worktable.

"Wait," she said. "Did you do these?"

Seizing the opportunity to seem genuine, Klaus came clean. "Yeah," he replied. "Actually, one of my landscapes is hanging at the Hermitage, not that anyone would notice. Have you been?"

She refused to look up, still fingering through the pages scattered everywhere. "I've never really been anywhere," she admitted.

That was a problem easily solved, unlike the growing affection Klaus felt for the girl in front of him. "I'll take you," he promised, despite her disbelieving scoff. "Wherever you want."

"Rome," he offered, to no reaction. "Paris."

"Tokyo?"

That finally got a laugh, and Klaus almost caught his breath at the smile on her face. That smile disappeared, though, when she spied another sketch on his desk. "What is that?"

She seemed upset, and Klaus had no idea what could have ruined the moment so abruptly. Caroline reached for the page, which held Klaus's rendering of the little bird on his chest. He had wanted the image for his own information before covering it with the larger tattoo. It seemed that his soulmate secret wouldn't be his alone for long.

The confusion on Caroline's face quickly turned to anger. "How do you have this," she asked, looking down at her covered wrist.

Klaus considered lying, to say that he drew it from memory the night he healed her, but her eyes soon focused on the incriminating date he had left on the page.

"You drew this more than two months ago," she whispered, reeling a bit from the shock. Eyes wide, she met his gaze in horror. "We hadn't even been in the same room by then."

"No," he answered, trying to remain calm. It appeared that Caroline knew more about soulmates than he thought. "No, that bird was burned onto my chest the third of September."

Caroline gasped, stumbling away from him and dropping the sketch. "That's not possible," she said, shaking her head. "That would mean- But you're- How?"

"What do you know, Caroline," Klaus asked. He winced at the earnestness he heard in his own voice, but he had to find out how much she understood of the situation.

Taking a deep breath, Caroline seemed to be steeling herself. "We had been looking for Stefan all summer," she explained. "Elena was getting desperate, and Bonnie had read about a spell to 'find a soulmate.' Even though she was away with family, she still had a friendship bracelet we had all made ages ago. The spell didn't go as planned, and we were all burned with these marks."

Klaus squeezed his hands into fists, needing to keep himself from reaching out to the skittish vampire. She seemed so…lost.

"Bonnie was heartbroken when Jeremy didn't have her jewel mark, and Elena couldn't believe that neither Stefan nor Damon had a tear drop," she said, noticing the tension in Klaus's body as he stared. "But you?"

"I have a bird, right here," he said, pointing to his chest. "My witch said the spell is meant to strengthen bloodlines, that it shouldn't have even worked on a vampire, let alone a vampire and a hybrid."

Caroline scoffed, jumping away from his slow advance toward her. "So, what," she asked snidely. "You think you own me now, that I'll just fall into your arms and help you hurt my friends?"

"Sweetheart, you're putting words in my mouth," Klaus warned. He could understand her frustration at the sudden news, but he would not tolerate disrespect.

"It must be really nice to snap your fingers and get whatever you want," she snapped. "Is that why you collect hybrids? A little servant army to take you places and bring you things?"

Her scathing accusations made Klaus bristle with rage. "You're making assumptions," he said lowly.

"Then why do you need Tyler," she asked, despite having broken up with the boy. Klaus found he didn't like the pup's name coming out of her mouth; it felt wrong for her to worry for some other man. "Stop controlling him, give him his life back."

Klaus smiled, though he knew it wouldn't hide his irritation. "This has been a fun evening," he graciously said, "but I think it's time for you to leave."

"I get it," she said, ice sharp in her voice. "Your father didn't love you, so you assume no one else will either. And that's why you compel people, or you sire them, or you try to buy them off." She tore off the bracelet to throw it at his feet. "But that's not how this works. You don't connect with people because you don't even try to understand them," she said, almost pityingly. "Soulmates or not, I won't accept that."

With that, she turned on her heel and fled the studio, and Klaus couldn't swallow the bereft feeling at her absence. Her words cut deeply, but he still hated himself for chasing her away.

That was probably why he found himself sneaking into her room again, this time to leave a sketch of her with the horse. Her discomfort at the idea of being tied to him through the little bird irked him, and he wanted to soothe her fears.

 _Thank you for your honesty. Though I hold no expectations, you seem to exceed them all. Klaus_

* * *

When Kol had dragged him to the Grill, Klaus figured he owed his brother some leisure time. Though giving into the "you daggered me" guilt trip set a dangerous precedent, he could hardly spend the entire day sketching Caroline's face. Again. She had plagued his thoughts since the ball. Even sitting with his brother, Klaus wondered if she might make an appearance.

As though his musing had summoned her, Caroline strode toward the bar. Her bright curls bounced against her jacket, thoroughly entrancing him.

"I remember her from last night," Kol said teasingly into his ear. "She looks like a tasty little thing."

Unable to take his eyes from Caroline, Klaus still managed to make his intents clear. "Say another word, and I'll tear out your liver," he threatened. Though he refused to make his siblings aware of their unique relationship, Klaus would not stand for Kol eyeing what was his.

"Caroline," he called, enjoying her little jolt of surprise.

"Oh, it's you," she sneered, crossing her arms.

A little embarrassed for this to be happening in front of Kol, Klaus forged on. "Join us for a drink," he asked, almost shy.

"I'd rather die of thirst, but thanks," Caroline replied without hardly a thought.

Even as she stormed out, Klaus found himself smiling. "Isn't she stunning?"

"She certainly looks good walking away from you," Kol answered in amusement.

Though he didn't appreciate Kol leering after his mate, Klaus could appreciate the humor in the situation. "I take that as a challenge," he whispered before setting down his drink to charge after her.

Ignoring the car that tried to run him over, Klaus would not be deterred from his goal. Caroline finally stopped when he called after her.

"Are you serious," she asked. "Take a hint."

"Don't be angry, love," he rushed to say, keeping her attention. "We had a little spat, I'm over it already."

"Well, I'm not," she answered, turning away from him again.

Perhaps the revelation of their soulmate bond was not as profound to her. However, even if the marks didn't force affection where there was none, surely she shouldn't be able to run from him so easily. Focusing on that, Klaus decided to swallow his pride. "How can I acquit myself," he asked in earnest.

Sighing, she faced him again. "You and your expensive jewelry, and your romantic drawings can leave me alone," she said clearly.

That hurt more than Klaus had expected. He refused to give up, though. "Oh, come on," he nearly pleaded. "Take a chance, Caroline." Seeing that it wasn't working, he quickly sat on the nearby bench. "Talk to me," he offered.

Her arched eyebrow showed intrigue, and Klaus took his chance. "Come on, get to know me," he said, dimples deep in his smile. "I dare you."

Caroline took a moment to consider, but she finally agreed and sat next to him. "Fine," she sighed. Clearly not liking his silent stare, she took it upon herself to start the conversation. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

"I want to talk about you," he answered honestly, drawing a laugh from her. "Your hopes, your dreams. Everything you want in life."

Still, she laughed, almost in disbelief. "Just to be clear," she stated, "I'm too smart to be seduced by you. All the soulmate signs in the universe couldn't make me fall into bed with you."

"Well, that's why I like you," he replied. "But you can't fault me for wanting to get to know my soulmate anyway, surely?"

Biting her lip, Caroline cocked her head. "I guess," she admitted. "I wouldn't have taken you for the kind of guy to go all loopy over a soulmate, though."

"Not loopy," Klaus maintained, enjoying her particular way of speaking. "And I wasn't too keen on the idea at first. I even covered my mark with a tattoo."

Caroline's brow furrowed.

"What's wrong, love?"

"I'm not sure," she said before cutting herself off. He gave her an encouraging look, and she rolled her eyes. "I just don't think I like that. You were just going to pretend I didn't exist?"

He considered the idea before explaining. "I was trying to make my hybrids, and Mikael was still a threat somewhere out in the world," he said, inching closer. "Love is a vampire's greatest weakness, and a soulmate seemed somehow worse. I couldn't afford to be weak."

Caroline frowned, looking almost sad. "You think I make you weak," she asked softly.

Before he could answer, Klaus felt a twinge in his chest. He stood abruptly. Something was wrong.

"What is it," Caroline asked, also standing.

Staring down at his hand, covering the pain in his chest, Klaus looked up in recognition and betrayal. "What did you do?"

Caroline barely reacted to the lethal coolness in his voice. "Nothing."

He grabbed her arms, yelling, "What did you do?!"

"I didn't do anything," she yelled back, looking around in fear. "Stop it."

Releasing her, Klaus stepped back. He didn't have time to deal with his soulmate issues when he needed to track down his siblings.

"Kol," he said, flashing to where Damon was dragging his brother's body.

He would deal with Caroline another day.

* * *

In anger, he burnt all of the sketches he had made of Caroline. It was only right to rid himself of whatever weakness she had instilled with that wretched mark.

It made refilling those sketchbooks all the more irritating, as he perfected the curl of her hair for the hundredth time.

* * *

All he wanted was to leave town, and he let Rebekah poke the soft spot that was Caroline to talk him into attending the dance as a last hurrah. As angry as he was that Caroline was complicit in his mother's plot, Klaus wanted to see her, even if it was only to say goodbye.

She looked exquisite in her red dress, her excitable attempt at a Charleston utterly adorable. Loathe as he was to the word, it suited Caroline perfectly.

The hybrid dancing too closely to her, however, was a thorn in Klaus's side. He had thought Tyler to be out of the running and Caroline more loyal to the soulmate idea. Though, he shouldn't have been surprised - she hardly felt any loyalty to his life, let alone his feelings. Said feelings were annoyingly tender as he watched her stroke his hybrid's neck in their embrace.

Tyler noticed his approach, and Klaus tried to ignore the embarrassment blushing Caroline's cheeks. "Where have you been, mate," he asked cooly.

"I just got back in town," he answered, apparently strengthened by Caroline hanging off his shoulder.

"That's funny, as I don't remember giving you permission to leave in the first place," Klaus said. "You don't mind if I cut in, do you?"

"Yes, actually," Caroline spoke up. "We do." Her significant look told him to back off, but he had a mark on his chest that wouldn't let him.

Luckily, Tyler acquiesced anyway, much to Caroline's annoyance.

"Why do you always have to prove you're the alpha male," Caroline snapped, stepping between the two.

"I don't have to prove anything, love," Klaus replied, moving closer. "I am the alpha male."

She scoffed.

"Come on," he said softly. "One dance, I won't bite." He offered his hand, bristling that she looked to Tyler for permission.

But, she had clearly made up her mind when she let Klaus twirl her into his arms.

"You would have loved the 1920s, Caroline," he said. "Girls were reckless, sexy, fun. They literally used to dance until they dropped."

"I don't suppose that ever happened to their dance partners," she quipped, annoyed he pulled her so close.

"Mates," he corrected in a terse whisper. "You should be nicer to me. I'm leaving town tomorrow. I'd invite you to come with me, but we both know you're not ready to accept my offer."

She pulled back, looking at him in surprise.

"Perhaps one day," he continued, moving to the beat. "In a year, or even a century, you'll turn up at my door and allow me to show you what the world has to offer."

"Why do you care," she asked, looking sadly over his shoulder, probably to a fuming Tyler. "You covered your mark, so there's nothing that has to tie us together, now or in a century."

"You'd be amazed to know what lengths I'd go to protect what I find precious," he said softly.

Her sad expression faded to awe. Thinking it would be his moment, Klaus leaned in infinitesimally. Rather than welcome his advance, she scoffed in derision.

"You mark my words," he spat angrily. "Small town boy, small town life. It won't be enough for you. You were born to fly free." He grabbed her wrist, rubbing the bird that lay beneath her glove, as though to emphasize his point.

Without looking back, he stormed from the gymnasium, intent on finding Rebekah and fleeing this town for good.

* * *

Needing to get away from the annoying vampires of Mystic Falls, Klaus took to strolling the hallways. He found himself outside the gym, where he could hear Caroline and Tyler talking.

"Because I'm angry," Tyler shouted, putting Klaus on edge. "Because I hate him. I should have never let him dance with you."

"What were you supposed to do," Caroline asked. Klaus could just imagine her frustrated gesticulation. "He can't know that you're not sired anymore."

Klaus bristled with the new information, but he didn't dare to make himself known. Perhaps this would be the push he needed to leave town and relinquish Caroline once and for all.

"Tyler," she pleaded. "It doesn't matter how many times I dance with him. I'm here with you."

Hopelessness filled his entire being, and he was ready to flash away when Tyler spoke again.

"He called you his mate," Tyler said, anger and confusion clear in his voice. "Something about covering marks?"

Caroline sighed. "Tyler-"

"It's him, isn't it," Tyler asked. "Bonnie's spell somehow marked you as Klaus's mate? I thought you told me the whole thing was bull."

"I thought it was," Caroline whispered. "I didn't realize it was him until much later."

Tyler scoffed, and footsteps indicated the hybrid was fleeing. "So much for me not needing to be jealous," he spat, leaving Caroline to be the one breathing in ragged gasps.

Klaus considered going to her, but he was still angry at her earlier treatment. Plus, his mother posed a much greater threat to him at the moment.

Caroline would find him someday, when she accepted their fate.

* * *

"Caroline's in there. Don't you have a thing for her, or did she reject you one too many times?"

Klaus froze at Damon's snide comment, terrified that he had no idea what he wanted to do. Every fiber of his being knew he had to get as far from Alaric as he could manage, to just cut his losses and run. Leaving Elena's blood behind would be hard enough, but Caroline?

He couldn't leave her in danger when he was able to prevent it.

So, he found himself strategizing with the Salvatores outside of Gilbert house. Multiple points of attack should be enough to outflank the latest Original vampire, but he worried about the state he would find Caroline in. Live bait was the norm, but once Alaric had Elena, there was no guarantee he'd keep the vampire alive.

Bonnie had a plan for a desiccation spell, but Klaus made his position clear on what he could and could not accept as a successful mission. He wanted Elena's blood and Caroline safe. Without another thought, Klaus flashed to Mystic Falls High to find his mate.

He caught her fleeing a classroom, slow for vamp-speed. She struggled against him, but he shushed her quietly. "It's okay, it's okay," he whispered. "It's me, it's okay. You're safe." He checked to make sure Alaric wasn't chasing her. "We'll save Elena. Go straight home, stay inside. You understand?"

Turning her to face him, he held her arms to ground her. He noted the vervain burns around her mouth and the blood dripping from her hands, and Klaus had to keep himself a soothing presence for her. "Do you understand me?"

Caroline relaxed slightly, nodding. She seemed to calm when she saw him, gratitude and relief radiating from her. "Thank you," she whispered back, leaning into him a bit.

He flashed away to help take down Alaric, but damn - he wanted to kiss her.

At least she was safe.

* * *

"So much for that sire bond."

Rage had built in his chest as he watched Tyler try to free Elena. Turning hundreds of times for the girl he loved, Klaus seethed to himself. Caroline was his mate, even if she wouldn't have been able to stop him from killing the doppelgänger.

The struggle quickly turned against him, though, as the Salvatores joined Tyler in holding him back. Stefan was the one to reach his heart, and the desiccation started almost immediately. With excruciating pain and immobility came incredible focus, as he could still see and hear what happened around him.

"What did you do?"

Klaus couldn't see her, but Caroline's voice made everything both better and worse. Her voice was the sweetest sound to him, but it hurt to know she was part of this plot.

"Is Klaus dead?"

Wait, is that grief?

"It's over Caroline," Tyler spat. "He's done terrorizing us."

"Take Elena home," Stefan said. "I'll take care of packing Klaus up so we can drop him in the Atlantic."

"No," Caroline shouted, almost frantically. "I'll do it. You've all done so much already, and consider it a thank you for saving me today."

"Care," Elena said.

Caroline interrupted, "Really, I need to get out of town for a minute. I don't want to be here when Alaric can leave the school."

"I'll help," Stefan offered as the others shuffled out of the house.

Suddenly, all Klaus could see was blond curls falling in his face. Almost imperceptibly, he felt Caroline's fingers lightly brush his chest, right over his own little bird. "I'm sorry," she whispered, biting her lip.

"What-"

Stefan's question was abruptly cut off by the crack of his neck. The sound of teeth tearing skin was the only warning for the bloody wrist shoved into his mouth. "Come on," Caroline said, gently rubbing his throat to help coax the blood down. "Drink up."

Confused, Klaus easily followed her instructions. When he stopped sucking at her exposed vein, she pulled away and glared. "I'm so mad at you," she explained. "You don't get to kill Elena because you're scared of Alaric."

"Then why save me," he croaked, struggling to sit up. She just pushed him to lay back down until he could recuperate some more.

"Because," she reasoned, "I didn't want to realize I missed you when you were lost at the bottom of the ocean."

It wasn't much, but Klaus felt like he had won every gold medal in the world. This time, he sat up with no issue. Reaching for her wrist, he rubbed the little bird inked on her skin. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "But we should get out of here before Stefan wakes up and realizes I'm the worst friend ever."

Klaus chuckled, ready to flash wherever she said.

His SUV was sitting out front, and he watched her lumber into the passenger seat. Smiling to himself, he still couldn't believe his luck. He certainly wasn't going to question it, though. "Where to, love?"

"Just drive," she said, distracted by her phone ringing. She answered, warning him to stay silent. "Hey, Mom."

" _Caroline, where are you?_ "

Frowning at the frantic note in her mom's voice, Caroline sent a worried look to Klaus. "I'm driving east, I'm supposed to drop Klaus's body in the ocean."

" _What,_ " Liz exclaimed. " _Oh, it doesn't matter right now. Honey, you can't come back to town_."

"What, why," Caroline asked.

" _Alaric just outed you and Tyler to the Council,_ " Liz explained. " _He will kill you if you come back, and the town would throw a parade._ "

Klaus saw the tears filling Caroline's eyes, but the stubborn girl refused to let them fall. "But Mom-"

" _Sweetie, I love you_ ," Liz reminded her. " _We'll figure something out. But for now, I need you to be safe. We'll send Tyler after you._ "

"No," Caroline reacted instantly. Klaus tried not to seem amused, glad she didn't want his hybrid coming after them. "I'll be fine, I promise. Tyler and I kind of broke up at the dance."

" _Oh, Caroline_ ," Liz sighed. " _I'd feel better knowing you were out there together, but I know you can take care of yourself. I'll do what I can to protect you from here._ "

"Thanks, Mom," Caroline whispered. "I love you."

" _I love you, too._ " Liz hung up, leaving a crying vampire in his passenger seat.

"What am I going to do," Caroline mused out loud, not really asking.

Regardless, Klaus had an answer. "My offer still stands," he said softly. "I'd be happy to show you the world."

Shaking her head, Caroline rolled her eyes. "I get that this whole soulmate thing ties us together, but you're not obligated to take care of me," she said. "Plus, I'm still pissed at you for trying to kill Elena."

"You can still be angry in Paris," Klaus pointed out. "And I know you have trouble believing my intentions are sincere, but I promise you - I just want to know you."

Finally meeting his gaze, Caroline softened a bit. "Fine," she answered before holding up a chastising finger. "But there's no way we're doing Paris like this. Pick somewhere else to start, and you have some serious groveling to do."

Unable to contain a smirk, Klaus steered the car toward the nearest airport. "Fair enough, love," he said happily. "How do you feel about flying?"

He could see her looking down at her wrist, the little bird prominent against her pale skin. It didn't glow nearly as much as her small smile at the prospect of leaving Mystic Falls behind her.

They had a world to discover, together.


End file.
